manners, from his intercourse with Europeans, have been somewhat
polished, and in deference to them, he has displayed both clemency and
dignity--in fact, Ibrahim is excessively anxious to acquire the good
opinion of Europe. He possesses all that strong common-sense that so
distinguishes the Turks, rather than an elevated intelligence of mind.
Soliman Bey, a renegade Frenchman, formerly an officer on the staff
of Marshal Grouchy, was associated with him, and it is to him that the
success of the Egyptian army may be chiefly attributed.

Syria, with her various productions, was the first country which offered
itself to the conquest of the Egyptians. Closed entirely on the side of
Asia by Mount Amanus, which belongs to the chain of Taurus, and extends
from the Gulf of Scanderoun to the Euphrates, she is bounded on one side
by the Mediterranean, and on the other by the desert. Her length from
Aintab to Gaza is one hundred and fifty leagues, and the mean breadth
about thirty. By a single glance at the map we perceive the most
important military points for the defence of Syria are the fortress of
Saint Jean d'Acre; Tyre, which ought to be fortified; Bolbeck, as
the key to several valleys; Antakea, the passage of the Beilan;
Alexandretta, situated upon a tongue of land between the marshes and the
sea; and lastly, Aentab and Zenyma, which command the two passages on
the right side of Mount Amanus.

We have entered into details in order to show how destitute of all
strategetical combinations was the whole plan of campaign in Syria.
Malte Brun estimates the population of the district of Sham at
two millions, but we are inclined to question the accuracy of this
calculation, since no two travellers are agreed as to the numbers of the
Druses, some estimating them at 120,000, others at a million. The Turks
form two-fifths of the population--they inhabit the large towns with the
Greeks; the remainder of the population is composed of Arab fellahs,
of Kurds, and of Turcomans, who wander in the valley of the Orontes;
of Bedouin Arabs, who pitch their tents on the banks of the Jordan and
along the edge of the desert of Ansarich, worshippers of the sun, the
descendants of the servants of the Old Man of the Mountain of Maronites,
who profess the Catholic ritual; of Druses, whose creed is doubtful;
of all the inhabitants of Mount Lebanon; of Mebualis, Mussulmans of the
sect of Ali; of Naplonsins and other tribes who have preserved a state